[_ Old Earth _] A little fun with an analogy.

[aiki]

The following analogy was presented by Syntax Vorlon in another thread, which has since morphed into a discussion of population growth. I wanted to make a comment or two on the nature of this analogy, but not in the other thread, since it has now removed itself so far from a discussion of the analogy. So, here goes:

If I were to take a polaroid picture of a clock at 12:00 and a YE creationist who argues that transition can't be shown arrives at 12:30, logically she argues that there is no direct connection that can be shown between the clock at noon and the clock now, they are two different things. For this picture to be evidence that the clock was ever at 12:00 there would have to be transitional pictures of the clock.
If I point to pictures of the clock at 10 minute intervals, the creationist who holds to this argument would still argue that no transition has been shown to occur, they could be three separately different clocks created by god for me to photograph and show to her in order to test her faith.
If I point to how the second hand just ticked forward, she'll reply that that's no reason to believe that the pictures we have in any way show that entire half hours can actually go by, that's 'micro-time.'

With a few minor, but important, adjustments to the above analogy I present a counter analogy to the one Syntax Vorlon has provided:

If I were to take a polaroid picture of a wall clock at 12:00 and a YE creationist, who argues that transition can't be shown, arrives at 12:30, logically she will argue that there is no direct evolutionary connection that can be shown between the wall clock at noon and the wristwatch I am wearing now. They are two different things. For the polaroid picture to be conclusive evidence that the wristwatch was a wall clock at 12:00 there would have to be transitional pictures of the clock.

If I point to pictures of different clocks taken at 10 minute intervals between 12:00 and 12:30, but which show no part wall-clock, part wrist-watch transition states, the creationist who holds to this argument would still argue that no transition has been shown to occur; they could be three totally different clocks.

If I point to how the wall clock and wristwatch both tell time, she'll reply that that's no reason to believe that the pictures we have in any way show that the wall-clock evolved into the wristwatch.

I defy people who defend the no transitional fossils argument to actually show how this is not analogous to the situation.

In Christ, Aiki.

 

[SyntaxVorlon]

You're missing the symbols. It's not the wall clock that's changing into something else, it's time that's moving forward. Time has moved forward an entire half hour. The YEC is logically arguing that the clock on the wall that now says 12:30 never could have said 12:00, because there's now mechanism for so large a change in time.
This is the logic that underlies that YEC argument.